News
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Foreign rider damages rental motorcycle in Phuket during off-road riding
A foreign motorcyclist, believed to be a Russian national, drew criticism online after a video showed him damaging a rental motorcycle while attempting off-road riding in Phuket. The footage was shared today, May 11, by the Phuket Times Facebook page, which claimed the incident involved a foreign motocross rider using a rented motorcycle on an off-road track in Phuket. The…
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Chinese man’s military-grade weapons linked to Thai police and military officers
Several police officers and military personnel linked to a Chinese national found in possession of firearms, military-grade weapons, and explosives in Chon Buri province. The investigation began after 31 year old Chinese national Mingchen Sun crashed his vehicle in Sattahip district, Chon Buri, on May 9 while travelling with a Taiwanese woman. Officers from Na Jomtien Police Station examined the…
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6 Vietnamese and Uzbek women arrested in Bangkok prostitution crackdown
Police arrested six foreign women for prostitution in the Sukhumvit area of Bangkok on May 7 following complaints from residents and the circulation of videos on Thai social media. The arrests took place in Soi Sukhumvit 4 after officers launched an investigation into suspected prostitution activities in the neighbourhood. According to reports, several residents complained that groups of foreign women…
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Bangkok transwoman reportedly forced to shave hairs for insulting Quran
A group of Muslims gathered outside a restaurant in Ramkhamhaeng area of Bangkok allegedly to pressure a transwoman to issue an apology and shave her hairs for insulting the holy Quran during a livestreaming video on social media. The transwoman, identified only as Lor, reportedly grew up in a Muslim community in Narathiwat before later moving to Bangkok for work.…
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Chinese tourists filmed with protected parrotfish and starfish in Phuket
Phuket locals are calling for legal action against a group of Chinese nationals after videos circulated online showed them hunting protected parrotfish and handling starfish at Kata Beach. The footage, which spread widely on Thai social media, prompted criticism from residents and environmental supporters concerned about the treatment of marine wildlife and the lack of immediate enforcement action by officials.…
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4 Indian tourists fall unconscious before 1 dies in Phuket hospital
Police are continuing to investigate after four Indian tourists lost consciousness at a restaurant on Kamala Beach in Phuket early Friday morning, May 9, before one of the men later died in hospital. Officers from Kamala Police Station and rescuers from the Kamala Subdistrict Administrative Office Foundation were called to the beachfront restaurant after receiving a report from a security…
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Thaksin returns home from prison with EM bracelet after parole release
Former Thai Prime Minister (PM), Thaksin Shinawatra, was released from Khlong Prem Central Prison in Bangkok with electronic monitoring (EM) bracelet this morning, May 11, and returned to his family home. Speculation about Thaksin’s release had circulated on Thai social media since April. The former PM was sentenced to a year in prison following his controversial stay at Police General…
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Hong Kong activist Zhang Xinyan arrested in Thailand
Hong Kong activist Zhang Xinyan, a wanted member of the overseas group Hong Kong Parliament, has been arrested in Thailand for overstaying her visa and is reportedly set to be deported to mainland China. According to the South China Morning Post, Hong Kong Parliament is an overseas pro-democracy activist group mainly founded and run by self-exiled Hong Kong activists. Sunai…
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Police gun linked to Chinese suspect and C4 explosives traced
A police-issued firearm from Sai Mai Police Station passed through four officers’ hands before ending up with a Chinese suspect found in possession of C4 explosives and a weapons cache, police revealed yesterday. Following a meeting called by the police chief to discuss the case of 31 year old Ming Chen Sun, the suspect told officers he purchased the weapons…
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Lisa joins World Cup 2026 opening line-up
Thai singer Lalisa Manobal, known globally as Lisa BLACKPINK, has been officially announced by FIFA as one of the headline performers for the opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States. FIFA confirmed the line-up yesterday, May 9, saying the opening event in Los Angeles would launch what it described as a historic summer of football…
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AI camera catches Nigerian, Ivorian men overstaying in Phuket
Tourist police in Phuket arrested two foreign nationals who had allegedly overstayed their visas for more than two years after an AI facial recognition system flagged them on May 8 in Kathu district. The arrests were made during a crackdown on foreigners suspected of immigration offences and other illegal activity in major tourist areas. Tourist police said the operation followed…
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Singha heir rejects family name, alleges teenage sexual assault
A prominent conservation activist and member of one of Thailand’s most powerful business families has gone public with allegations of sexual assault and a bitter inheritance dispute, sparking widespread discussion on social media. Siranudh “Psi” Scott, a fourth-generation member of the Bhirombhakdi family, owners of the Singha beer brand, posted a video to his Facebook account, which has 625,000 followers,…
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Buriram frog hunter flees 10 armed Cambodian soldiers inside Thai territory
A 63 year old man from Ban Kruat district, Buriram province, got the fright of his life while frog hunting near a dam behind his village, after stumbling upon ten armed Cambodian soldiers on what he believes was Thai soil. Apirak Butphet was out with two companions when they spotted three flashlights in the dark. Assuming they were fellow villagers,…
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Bangkok road collapse linked to siphon pipe works
A road collapse near Bangkok’s Fai Chai intersection disrupted traffic yesterday, May 9, and caused a passing motorcyclist to fall, with officials linking the damage to siphon pipe installation beneath the road. The collapse reportedly happened at about 2.42pm on Charan Sanitwong Road outside Vichaivej Hospital in Bangkok Noi district. Witnesses said one traffic lane collapsed as a motorcycle was…
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McLaren 570S wedged under pickup truck in Sai Mai crash
A McLaren 570S worth up to 24 million baht collided with a pickup truck at the end of Chatuchot Alley in Sai Mai district yesterday, injuring one person and drawing widespread attention online. At 4.36pm, the supercar and a pickup truck collided at the end of the alley. One man was left with right arm pain and was transported to…
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Koh Pha Ngan resort crackdown probes nominee ownership claims
Officials inspected four resorts in Sri Thanu on Koh Pha Ngan yesterday, May 9, arresting three hotel operators over alleged unlicensed hotel businesses as part of a wider probe into foreign-linked companies and possible nominee ownership. The operation involved officers from the Department of Provincial Administration, Surat Thani Immigration Bureau, and Koh Pha Ngan police. Sri Thanu, in Koh Pha…
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Gun malfunction saves former Thai village headman from attack
On May 8, a man attempted to shoot 65-year-old Phurachai Phimsen, a former village headman and brother of a Bhumjaithai Party MP, at a shop in Mueang subdistrict, Tha Sala district, Nakhon Si Thammarat. The suspect’s gun misfired, allowing him to flee before later surrendering to police. The suspect, 41-year-old Sakorn, approached Phurachai at the shop and aimed a short-barrelled…
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Caregiver sentenced to 5 years for child swap in Thailand
The Appeal Court has sentenced a 32 year old caregiver, Wichuda “Som”, to five years in prison for swapping a three year old child under her care with another baby. The ruling follows an appeal against a lower court’s verdict, with the child’s mother still waiting to be reunited with her biological daughter. In a case previously reported, Paveena Hongsakul…
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Prisoner escapes with 23 days left in Thai jail term
A prisoner serving time at Thanyaburi District Prison in Pathum Thani has escaped with just 23 days left on his sentence, reportedly to search for his missing girlfriend. His father has pleaded with him to surrender. The Department of Corrections announced the escape of 37 year old Seksan Ruapthong on May 7. He had been convicted of bodily harm and…
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Chinese man held with C4 and grenades ‘to attack Thailand’
A car crash in Chon Buri has led police to one of the largest private weapons caches uncovered in recent memory, after a 31 year old Chinese national was found with C4 explosives, anti-personnel mines, and two M16 rifles at his rented home. Mingchen Sun was arrested after his sedan overturned in the Na Jomtien area of Sattahip district, Chon…
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True Academy Fantasia judge criticised for complaining contestant’s use of English
A commentator on True Academy Fantasia 2026 faced online criticism after remarks about the use of English of a contestant during an audition, saying it is “a bit showing off“. The incident occurred during a live audition aired on Wednesday, May 6, after the show began its online audition process on March 8. Contestants initially submitted video introductions and performances, with selected applicants…
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Nakhon Si Thammarat theft suspect consumes 25 meth pills before arrest
Police in Nakhon Si Thammarat arrested a theft suspect today, May 8, after he allegedly stole 40,000 baht, used part of the money to buy methamphetamine, and consumed 25 pills in less than 24 hours. Police identified the suspect as 39 year old Arin from Bangkok’s Lat Krabang district. He was arrested at a rented house in Tha Sala district…
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Thai monks deceive children into ordaining and use them for donations in Malaysia
Parents of seven children, aged between three and 11, sought assistance after two monks in Prachuap Khiri Khan deceived them into ordaining as novices and soliciting donations in Malaysia. The case came to light after police in Kedah, Malaysia, arrested two Thai monks on April 7 on suspicion of human trafficking. Malaysian police said they had monitored the pair’s activities…
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Coronavirus found in Thai bats poses low spread risk, DDC says
Thailand has found a coronavirus in bats during routine wildlife disease surveillance, but no human infections have been reported, and the public risk remains low, according to the Department of Disease Control (DDC). DDC Director-General Dr Montien Kanasawat said today, May 8, that the discovery reflected Thailand’s ability to rapidly detect emerging diseases through its monitoring systems. Researchers studying horseshoe…
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Philippines hosts talks as Thailand, Cambodia seek renewed trust
Thailand and Cambodia agreed to rebuild trust and open a new chapter in bilateral relations after three-way talks initiated by the Philippines during the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu yesterday, May 7. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul met Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr at the Shangri-La Mactan hotel in Cebu to discuss the Thailand-Cambodia situation,…
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Thai mother seeks help to locate missing child after babysitter swaps baby
A Thai woman is seeking help to locate her missing child after a babysitter allegedly lost the infant and replaced the baby with another child. The 24 year old mother, identified only as Joy, approached the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women to assist in finding her biological child. She said she had already taken legal action against the babysitter,…
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Thailand News | Eight suspects detained after Chinese tourist dies following Pattaya Club assault, Humanoid robot ordained as honorary buddhist monk in South Korea
In the news today, eight suspects have been detained after the death of a Chinese tourist following a Pattaya Night Club assault, in Phuket, a British man was reportedly filmed damaging motorcycles in a knife-wielding outburst, also in Phuket an Israeli family is being accused of using their children to steal snacks from a convenience store, in health news Mpox…
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Israel embassy warns Israelis as Phuket tightens foreigner rules
The Embassy of Israel in Thailand has warned Israeli nationals in Phuket to follow local laws after provincial officials reportedly ordered stricter enforcement measures against foreigners on the island. The statement, written in Hebrew, was shared yesterday, May 7, on the Facebook page Israel in Thailand. According to the post, authorities would strictly enforce local laws and regulations, with offenders…
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Chinese driver crashes into Chon Buri roadwork barriers
A Chinese driver and two others were injured after a luxury car crashed into barriers at a road repair site and overturned on Highway 331 in Chon Buri late yesterday, May 7. Rescue workers from Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation received reports of the crash at 11.40pm on the inbound side of Highway 331 toward Rayong. At the scene, emergency responders…
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Phuket teenager praised for saving foreign man after roadside collapse
A Thai teenager was praised after performing CPR on a foreign man who collapsed on a road in Kathu district, Phuket, last night, May 7. Images and videos of the rescue were shared by several Thai news agencies and Facebook pages, showing the boy assisting the injured foreign man, who had a visible head wound and was lying motionless on…
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